A hotel door that scans your face sounds futuristic, until it won’t let you back in after breakfast. That story sets the stage for a candid tour through AI’s promise and pitfalls with Dr. Ryan Payne of CanBe Lab at the University of Canberra. We dig into how convenience can collide with bias, what inclusive design looks like in practice, and why Canberra is a powerful proving ground for responsible, human-centered innovation.

Ryan bridges global AI governance and local impact, sharing how behavioral science helps people actually use technology wisely. We unpack everyday risks like pasting sensitive text into public models and demystify model behavior, prompt tactics, and memory limits. From there, we dive into the lab’s hands-on projects: robot camps and computational thinking for kids, high school programs on cyber resilience and scam risk, and health research that uses better data to reach underserved communities with meaningful prevention. Along the way, we examine the hidden signals in our devices, including gendered voice assistants and the norms they reinforce.

One standout initiative aims to expand children’s aspirations by securely visualizing them in a wide range of future careers traditional and non-traditional powered by on-site infrastructure and strict privacy. We talk partnerships with startups, energy providers, and global tech firms, and we share pragmatic advice for founders: show up, help first, and make the complex simple. The throughline is clear: move faster than harm, measure inclusion, and design for dignity. If you care about AI ethics, behavioral insights, or building products people trust, this conversation offers practical examples and a roadmap for action.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow Canberra Business Podcast, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Got thoughts on the Mission Impossible vs Bond debate or how to make AI more inclusive? Drop us a message at infocanberbusiness.com.